JISC

A key issue in lifelong learning is enabling the effective transfer of students within and between different educational environments and the need to harmonise formative and summative processes. The project partners have a common desire to work together to build upon the significant and widely recognised expertise and experience that already exists in each institution to develop processes which will ultimately benefit all learners who wish to progress to HE.

Aims and Objectives

The overall aim of the project is to explore the use of learner profiles developed in FE through Progress File and how they can be developed electronically and effectively transferred and assimilated into the HE Personal Development Profile.

The specific objectives are to:

1. Explore the Personal Development Profile aspect of the HE Learner Profile and to identify suitable elements for development. 
2. Work with particular students and tutors at Loughborough College and the RNIB Vocational College and to utilize existing Progress File expertise to develop learning and teaching formative processes which will allow for the summative evidence required for the PDP to be produced
3. Develop an ‘electronic Progress File’ at Loughborough College, which will allow for effective technical transfer into the PDP model and IMS LIP.
4. Contribute to an existing project at Loughborough University, which focuses on the development of the PDP
5. Ensure that the needs of students with disabilities, particularly visual impairment, are fully addressed and to ensure that learner profiles transferred to HE facilitate effective progression and the early identification of support needs and resulting support provision
6. Evaluate the project comprehensively and thoroughly and to ensure effective dissemination locally and within the wider JISC community.

Deliverables

It is expected that the following outcomes will be achieved by the end of the project:

1. An ‘electronic Progress File’ in FE, which will facilitate the transfer of learner profiles to the HE PDP model and into IMS LIP.This will be achieved through the piloting of an electronic Progress File with participating students. Sports Science Foundation degree students at Loughborough College will participate in the project. The college has achieved Centre of Vocational Excellence in Sports Science and an aspect of CoVE developments which has already been defined is to develop an electronic Progress File.
2. The college has also been involved in the piloting of an electronic and web-based model of Progress File with DfES and 3T. It is expected that this experience in such a new and innovative area of development will be fully utilized and that progress made will be of great interest and value to the wider JISC community.
3. Piloting of the technical transfer of the learner profiles generated through 1 above to the PDP and the IMS LIP specifications. This will be achieved through close liaison with the Centre for Recording Achievement PDP project.
4. At least 4 ‘Use cases’ which explore and define generic scenarios with regard to the formative planning processes which underpin the development of the FE Progress File and the PDP.
5. Specific use cases will be developed to illustrate how students with disabilities can access these processes effectively. It is expected that these use cases will provide generic models that would be of great value to the wider FE, HE and JISC communities.
6. At least 6 Case Studies, which explore and define the impact of the project on a wide range of learners and groups of learners. Case studies developed will fully reflect the range of student characteristics in the participating group, including those with different disabilities and students intending to progress to employment.
7. The partner institutions have had significant experience in identifying the needs of disabled learners progressing to HE and it expected that case studies focusing on this issue will have a major potential impact in improving the transfer of useful profile information and how it can be used to the maximum benefit of the learner.
8. An evaluation report which focuses on and reflects progress made in learning and teaching aspects of the transfer of learner profiles from FE to HE and the requirements of employers

Project Methodology

The project will involve an investigation into the PDP in HE and the identification of suitable elements for development from the FE Progress File model.

An electronic Progress File will be developed in FE which will allow for effective technical transfer into the HE PDP model and IMS LIP. The specific needs of students with disabilities in accessing this process will be considered as a priority and needs to HE institutions to receive information re. disability and therefore to act upon this promptly and effectively will be fully explored.

Implications/ Deliverables/ Stakeholders

The findings will be cycled back to all relevant staff in the partner institutions and the ‘cutting edge’ good practice likely to be generated through the project will; be disseminated to al relevant staff. They will also be disseminated more broadly to users in the wider JISC community. The project will yield case studies and use cases which will help to illuminate the effective transfer of rich information between FE and HE, especially with regard to students with disabilities.

Ultimately, the project addresses the need to align the teaching and learning processes inherent in Progress File in FE the interests and needs of students progressing with progress files on to HE courses.

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